Jesus in the midst of hurt

John 11:17-44

Intro

Family and Personal Update

YL Grant!

Story?

Pain

John 11:17-22

Back story

Jesus just left this area because they wanted to kill him and his time hadn’t come

He hears Lazarus is dead and wants to go back. Disciples are confused.

Jesus arrives 4 days “too late”

People are already mourning

The tomb has been closed

You can feel the pain.

Jn 11:21“If you had been here”

This is a statement we ask all the time…why Lord?

If you had been here, things would be different.

They had seen Jesus heal sick people, they had an expectation that Jesus could do that. They had no category for Jesus raising the dead.

Jump to vs 32 Mary says the same things

Mary falls at his feet. If only Jesus were here...

Psalm 13 Read it!

It is ok to ask God questions, He has big shoulders and can take our pain, doubts, questions, and even accusations. He did it for david, he will do it for us. But if we are to follow Jesus, pain isn’t the end. At some point we must move forward into Jesus’s Truth.

Being stuck in Pain without truth is the worst place to be. Hopelessness. As we dive further into this story, I challenge you to see yourself in this story. Like Lazarus and his family, we are helpless to save ourselves but we are not hopeless because of the mighty love and work of Jesus!

vs 22-26 I Am the resurrection

Jesus reveals his truth in the midst of the pain

Do you believe this?

Vs 33-37 see the doubt.

There are Truths we believe and there are Truths that we trust. Is there an expectation in your life and ministry that Jesus is going to show up?

Young Life Camp, sorting through churchy answers and into reality…what they really think.

If you think coming to Church will give you a full knowledge of Jesus, you will be sadly and miserably mistaken. As great as Terry is, he can’t teach you the truth of sitting before Jesus daily and expecting him to show up. That is done through God’s Love letter to us and by his Holy Spirit.

Emotions & Truth lead to actions

Vs 38-44

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.

Why didn’t Jesus just send his team of disciples?

Jesus felt this one. He felt the brokenness of the world. It moved him to weep, not just culturally like the mourners, but the softly cry in pain.

He couldn’t hold back the pain he felt about his friend…he knew the Truth of who he was…so he did something about it.

He cares. Once again, he was deeply moved. Jesus weeps.

God doesn’t just see and feel our pain,

Come out of the tomb

Us

We experience pain

Do we have truth in our hearts and minds as we experience it?

What do we have to offer people in the midst of pain and hurt?

Does the pain we experience and the truth we know about Jesus lead us to action? Does the Cross compel you? The the Kingdom of Jesus breaking through the brokeness of this world compel you?

Vs 44 Fires me up, “Take off the graves clothes, and let him go.”

Death to life

Jesus is the resurrection. People in Elkins and Randolph County are helpless to fix their conditions but not hopeless because of the work of Jesus and the power he has bestowed upon the Church. Go take off grave clothes.

Jesus did this miracle full well knowing it would lead to his death. Love compelled him, fear did not hold him back. What is holding you back?

Do you need the tools to do ministry? Talk to Terry, Get equipt and GO.